Universally-jointed shaft.



A. LOOMIS.

UNIVERSALLY JOINTED SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1907.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

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ALLEN LOOMIS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,.ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO PACKARD MOTOR CAR C9MP A N'Y, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ACORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

nivIvnRsALLY-Jom'rnn sneer.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed March 26, 1907. Serial No. 364,707.

To all whom di n ng concern? Be'lit known that I, ALLEN Looms, a citi- "Zen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, lVayne county, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful I111- provements in -Universally-Jointed Shafts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements in universal joints for sectional shafts, and it relates particularly to means for permitting an intermediate section of a shaft to play cndwise relatively to the adjoining sections and for holding the intermediate section in a central position relatively to the coupling members of the adjoining sections, and also to means for excluding dust from andretaining lubricant within, the universal joints.

.My improvements are particularly adapted for use in connection with the transmission shafts of automobiles, wherein there is a relative up and down movement between the clutch shaft and the shaft connected with the differential gearing.

In the accompanyingdrawing, Figure 1 5 is a side elevation of portions of three sections of a shaft having my improvements, one of the couplings being shown in longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a section through one of the couplings on the line X-X of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a modified form of spring for holding the intermediate section of the shaft inposltlon.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing,

1, 2 and 3 indicate shaft sections connected together by universal joints A and B. The

shaft or section 3 may. for convenience, be referred to as the driving shaft, the section 2 may be referred to as the intermediate shaft or section, and the shaft 1 may be 0 called the driven shaft. The joints A and B coupling has a socket 5 which flares outwardly at the end, as shown at 5, and it has diametrically op osite guide slots (3. The intermediate shaft section 2 has at its ends joint. members each comprising a pin 7 which extends through the shaft section and carries at its ends a pair of rollers S, which are movable within the guide slots 6. v A sleeve 9 surrounds the member a and holds the rollers in position upon the pin, and the 5 outer faces of the rollers are'conoidal, as

shown, conforming to the inner curved face of the sleeve so as to permit the play of tlfe member 7/, which comprises the pin 7 and rollers 8, as it takes positions at angles to the axis ofthc member a. A spherical mtital casing 10 is mounted on the member a and rests against spherical bearing surfaces 11 upon said member. This casing has an opening 12 through which the intermediate shaft sectionQ extends, and a flexible guard 13 is arranged between the hub of the memher a and the adjacent end of the casing 10, to exclude dust from the casing and bearing surfaces at that end of the casing which is opposite the opening 12. The casing both excludes the dust from the joint and retains the lubricant.

'The construction of the joint, so far de scribed, is substantially the same as that shown in the copending application of Russell llulf, Serial Number 323,604, filed J one 27, 1906. In the invention disclosed in said copending application, metal springs are arranged within the sockets of the coupling members for the purpose of holding the intermediate shaft section in central position between the coupling members of the driving and driven shafts. In the present invention instead of arranging springs within the sockets, I arrange upon the intermediate shaft section, near each end, a stop 14, and

between said stop and a flange 10 on the adjacent casing 10, I arrange a spring 15. This spring preferably consists of a ring of solid rubber, as shown in Fig. 1, which completely surrounds the shaft section and incloses the space between the flange 10 and the stop 14, thus serving as a spring and also as a means for excluding dust from the coupling and for retaining the lubricant.

Each stop 14. preferably consists of a collar made in two parts, which parts are connected together by bolts 16. The shaft has threads 17 near each end and the collars l4 7 parts.

one shaft section, a stop on the other shaft tions and a universal joint connecting said tions and a universal joint connecting said 'fitted to the joint-member on one shaft secof the joint'can be made shorter than if the spring were arranged ,within the socket. This shortening of the sockets on the transmission shaft of a motor vehicle allows the intermediate shaft section to be made corre' spondingly longer and lessens the angles between the shaft sections. The intermediate shaft section, being always centered by the springs between the adjoining sections, and having'a sufiicient amount of end play in the sockets of the joints, the ends of the intermediate section can not strike against either of the adjoining sections when the latter move vertically relatively to one another, thus preventing noise and breakage, or injury to the What I claim is 1. The combination with'two shaft secsections so that one may be rotated by the other and permitting relative endwisemove ment of the sections, of a casing having a spherical bearing on the joint-member on section, and a spring interposed between said stop and casing;

2. The combination with two shaft sections and a universal joint connecting said sections so that one may be rotated by the other and permitting relative endwise movement of the sections, of a casing having a spherical bearing on the joint-member on; one shaft section, an adjustable stop on the other shaft section, and a spring interposed i between said stop and casing. 3. The combination with two shaft sections and a universal joint connecting said sections so that one may be rotated by the other and permitting relative cndwise movement of the sections, of a casing having a spherical bearing on the joint-member on one shaft section, a stop on the other shaft i section, and a rubber ring interposed between said stop and casing.

4. The combination with two shaft sections and a universal joint connecting said sections so that one may be rotated by the other and permitting relative endwise move- 1 ment of the sections, of a casing having a spherical bearing on the joint-member of' one shaft section, a collar threaded on to the other shaft section, and a rubber ring interposed between said collar and casing.

The combination with two shaft secsections so that one may be rotated by the other, of a rigid spherical casing movably tion and having an opening through which the other shaft section extends, a stop on said latter section and a rubber ring inter posed between said stop and easing.

6. The combination with two shaft secintermediate shaft section extending through said casings and having joint members at its ends engaging the members on the driving and driven shafts, stops upon said intermediate shaft and rubber rings interposed between said stops and casings.

8. The combination with a driving shaft and a shaft to be driven, each having universal joint members thereon, of s herical casings movabiy fitted to said mem ers, an intermediate shaft section extending through said casings and having 'ointmembers at its ends engaging the mom ers on the drlvin and driven shaft, collars threaded upon sai intermediate ,shaft, and rubber rings inter posed between said stops" and casings...

9, The combination with a driving-shaft and a shaft to be driven, each having universal joint members thereon, of s herical casings movably fitted to said mem ere, an

intermediate shaft section extending through said casings and having joint members at its ends engaging the members on the driving and driven shafts, and rubber spring packing on the intermediate shaft constructed to bear against both casings.

10.11 he combination-With a driving shaft and a shaft to be driven, each having universal joint members thereon, of an intermediate shaft section having joint members at its ends engaging the joint members on the driving and driven shafts, said joint members being constructed to permit a relative endwise movement, and means for 0811- tering said intermediate shaft.

11. The combination with a driving shaft and a shaft to be driven, each having 11111 versal joint member-thereon, of an intermediate shaft sectio having oint members at its ends engaging the joint members on the driving and driven sbafts,said joint members being constructed to permit a relatire endwise movement, and spring means on said intermediate shaft for centering it. In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

ALLEN LOOMIS. Witnesses: Vmoan'r LINK, Mir/Ion Trnnnrrs. 

